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Paranoid-Duckkie

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Contest Feature

14 min read
Honorable Mentions

so close it hurts
When I first saw this entry, it took me by surprise.  The thumb looked like it may look good, but I didn't really see how great it was until I full viewed it. This entry is just charming, full of great details, and overall, a pleasing piece to look at. I love the waterfall, the detail in the fox's eyes, her freckles… It was so close to winning it hurt to have to choose. I think I spent an hour debating, and in the end, I deferred to my judges, and this one was eventually… reluctantly given up, but I feel I have to mention it here nonetheless.  Special thanks to Lillyfrost for submitting this delightful entry.
:thumb323739218:

traditional beauty
Very well done colored pencil art is a rare thing to see on deviantArt. Perhaps this is why this one was a favorite of so many in the popular voting, and I can clearly see why. artbybluedaisy uses excellent technique, with cross hatching, shading, and strong colors, and honestly, as the lines were done traditionally, it only seems to fit that it be colored using a traditional method.  I loved this entry from the first moment I saw it, and it I still one of my personal favorites, so I would like to give special thanks to artbybluedaisy for submitting this lovely entry.
Coloring Contest Six Cranes by artbybluedaisy

simple perfection
Sometimes I come across an entry where I find myself wishing I did not use a rubric to guide my judging.  Sometimes I find an entry that, although it is not chalk full of outstanding details in the background, delightful little extras that show both technique and dedication to the entry, it still speaks to me.  It is no small accomplishment to create a piece that uses simplicity to create beauty. It is not easy to put just enough in just the right place without adding just a little more.  I've tried many times to take the simple-yet-still-perfect rout, and I still haven't figured it out, but if you take a moment to look at this entry by ChainsOfFreedom you will see that this is not a problem for this entry. This picture is perfect just as it is.  Thank you for your charming entry.
Little Red and Wolf by FalseDelusion by ChainsOfFreedom

excellent technique
What can I say about this entry? I love it. The technique is just outstanding. The fabric has a texture to it that is very real looking, the lighting on their faces is rich, and I particularly like the way the 'beast's' face is done. You can almost touch the scales on his cheek.  The darkness in the piece creates a mysterious mood that fits the expressions on the characters well, and the leaves in the foreground are full of detail.  It almost has the feeling of an old masterpiece, and I can almost see the brush strokes on it… not an easy thing to do with a digital medium.  So I would like to give special recognition to Kajiblade for this rich entry.
Coloring Contest: Beauty and the Beast by Kajiblade

Young Artist Winner
Yes, I know what you are thinking: the artist who did this is only 14? What? Wow.  That sums it up pretty well. This piece held its own pretty well against all the other entries, and stood out when compared with the young artist entries. Of particular note are the shading on her face and the use of lighting.  This is really the only entry that captured the shape of her cheekbone, her lips look so full and inviting, and her eyes really pop out with that vibrant green, which adds an almost supernatural quality to her.  The lights in the background have an enchanting glow to them, and one can easily see their impact on the figures in the foreground. All in all, a solid entry, and well deserving of recognition. Congrats to Vollatina for winning the young artist prize with this beautiful entry.
coloring contest by Vollatina

Popular Vote Winner
It is easy to see why this entry won the popular vote. It is very well done, and as one of my judges put it, 'I have to give special props to CAHess for details.'  Just look at the fur on the fox. Look at the textures on her clothes.  Look at the detail in her face.  I am particularly fond of the blue lights, and the dark tones used in the whole piece, and on her skin.  The detail in the foreground contrasts well with the obscurity of the background as it disappears into blackness, which gives the impression that the characters are deep underground. Everything about this picture seems to be telling a story: from the golden light coming from behind her, which indicates that perhaps a person is following her with a lantern, to the matching green in the fox's mechanical eye and her eyes, which opens the question about why or how that might be.  Congratulations to CAHess for winning the popular vote with this excellent entry.
Contest: Steam Punk by CAHess

Best Little Red and Wolf Entry
I liked this one from the first moment I saw it, and knew that it would be the bar that all other entries for this line art would have to try to reach for.  It is perfectly shaded, the colors chosen for it are delightful, the detail is just right, the lighting is strong, and the mood is mysterious and magical. It was almost as if this set of lines was drawn with Sylfaenn in mind to color them from the beginning.  The styles match perfectly, which is why it is my pleasure t congratulate Sylfaenn for winning 'Best Wolf' with this rather perfect entry.
Little Red and Wolf by Sylfaenn

Best Beauty and the Beast Entry
This was a very difficult set of lines to judge for. There were so many great entries, and if it was not for the help of my judges, I may not have been able to choose a winner, but in the end, it seemed so obvious.  It is funny, but the first thing I noticed about this entry was the grass in the background. Yeah, it may seem silly, but consider this: how many people pay as much attention to the background as they do the foreground?  More often than not, a coloring falls apart as soon as you look beyond the lines. The quality and care goes down.  But take a look at this entry. Wow.  The next thing that I noticed was the detail in the floor, the reflection, the flowers, and eventually, I realized that this one was a clear winner.  The characters are well colored, and the scenery is just as well cared for, so congratulations to SoleWorker for winning 'Best Beauty' with this thoughtfully colored entry.


Best The Six Swans Entry
I would like to give special thanks to Alyssa for drawing my attention back to this entry. I had gotten to the point that I was so overwhelmed by judging all the entries that when it came time to look at the Six Swans that I started to overlook some of the treasures submitted there, and this entry certainly is a treasure.  It is dark, but not lost in shadow, it has subdued colors, yet it still has richness, and it is subtle but detailed, and it is overall a balanced piece.  The mood is quiet, soft, mysterious, sad, and yet hopeful, just like the story it is telling. I am enchanted by this piece, and so I would like to congratulate MOONBTCH for winning 'Best Swans' with this sweet entry.


Best Cyber Works Entry
The lighting and the color scheme in this entry stands out from all other entries in the contest, and for that reason, it became an instant favorite of mine, as well as one of the other judges.  It becomes clear very quickly that Who-Died is a master at coloring, and it shows in this entry.  Just look at the shading in the folds of her clothes, both natural and soft looking.  Look at the fur on the fox, textured and detailed, but not over the top.  Coloring animals well is a challenge for many people, but not for this artist.  The tree in the background has a lovely texture to it as well, which matches with the girl and the fox, and the warm atmosphere just radiates off the image.  Another thing that caught my eye was the detail in the light bulbs. Most people just blotted them out with light, but here, you can see the inner wiring. It is little details like this that helped this image to claim the prize of 'Best Cyber.'  Congratulations to Who-Died for winning with this warm entry.
CE-  Cyber works ( Coloring ) by Who-Died

Best Butterfly Dragonfly Entry
The funny thing about this one is that I usually hate pink.  But I LOVE this entry. Imagine how I would have been fawning over it if rin-linin had used blue as the primary color focus instead. (blue is my favorite color in case you were wondering.)  This entry has everything: lovely shading, excellent use of white, an energetic background which frames the image perfectly, great lighting, perfect use of lines, balance, movement, charm… the works.  The style matches the lines, both having a detailed anime charm, and I could even see this as a poster. (I'd buy it.)  All the judges were in agreement with this one, and so it brings be great joy to congratulate rin-linin for winning  'Best Butterfly' with his very pink yet satisfying entry.


Best Elegant Entry
'Ooh. I like it.' That was the first thing I said when I saw this entry, and I am still saying it. I am so pleased with how Dark-Arya colored this piece.  I love the blue sky, the poofy clouds, the spirit gate, the flower petals, the grass, the sparkles, the colors used for her dress, the shading, and especially her eyes.  Sometimes I try my hand at coloring in this style, but I never really do quite get it right, so one can imagine how happy I am that this artist did it for me. :laughing:  Anyway, this entry has a very bright and joyful feeling to it. Congrats to Dark-Arya for winning 'Best Elegant' with this stunning entry.
Elegant by Dark-Arya

and the Grand Prize Winner is… *Drum Roll! Wait for it… wait for it…*
I will be honest here. This was, by far, the hardest contest I had ever judged. When I first crunched the numbers, I had five entries with a top score of 27. Yep. Five grand prize winners. As I'm sure you can imagine, that was not going to work, so I relied very heavily on my judges to help me rescore my entries to create a disparity.  This was not one that I had initially thought of as a winner in comparison with the others. Words I used to describe it are 'sparkly' 'shiny' 'otherworldly' 'magical' and 'enchanting.' But I didn't give it the word, 'Winner.'  So when I consulted my judges, I was surprised when this was the one that they latched onto… don't get me wrong, the judges were actually fairly well split as well.  But then I reevaluated this one, and saw that it does indeed stand out.  As one judge put it, 'this entry comes out of left field. It is entirely different from all the others,' and I have to agree.  Because it is so shining and unique, and because of the detail, lighting, care, and mood, it really is the clear winner.  And so I am very pleased to announce the grand prize winner. Congratulations to Darya87 for winning this contest with this enchanting entry.
The Mechanic - Color by Darya87

you can see all the final scores for every entry here: manic-goose.deviantart.com/art…
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Query Part II

3 min read

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1. In a year, some months have 31 days... some just have 30. What month has 28?

2. Imagine a little girl kicked a soccer ball. It goes 10 feet, and comes right back to her. how is this possible?

3.  I was going to Saint Ives,
I met a man with seven wives.
Each wife had seven sacks.
Each sack held seven cats.
Each cat had seven kittens.
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives...
How many were going to Saint Ives?

4. What is in the middle of Paris, at the end of the Eiffel Tower, and involved in starting every road race?

5. If there are six apples and you take away four, how many do you have?

6. A man is laying shot on the side of the road. The police come to investigate, and know right away who shot him. Why?

7. Who was the President before John F Kennedy was assassinated?

8. I am the beginning of the End, and the end of Time and Space. What am I?

9. What has an ear, but cannot hear, and a colonel, but no army?

10. What goes up and down and still remains in the same place?

Answers:
1. All the months have 28 days.
2. She had to have kicked it straight up.
3. One. I was the only one going to Saint Ives.
4. the letter 'r.'
5. four., because these are the four you took.
6. Because he was only shot, not dead.
7. Kennedy, of course.
8. the letter "e."
9. corn
10. stairs.

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Query:

4 min read

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What breaks every time you say its name?

A square house with sour Southerly facing walls was trashed by a bear, what color is the bear's fur?

You're driving a bus and at your first stop little Timmy gets on with his collection of figurines, at the next stop, the Olson brothers and their neighbor, the ever awkward Tressa get on. On the way, they start to argue about who is sitting where, but at the next stop this ends, because five big kids get on and promptly take the back seat.   A little way further, Jed gets on. He is an only kid, and he always sits by himself. Moving on, the bus stops next to the suburb near school, where Josi, Meg, Alexis, Tory, Zeke, Eolanda, and Marco all get on. A little further down, Jake, Lucy, Skyler, Fred, Maud, Ed, Iris, Aya, Luke, Morgan, Sammy, Rich, and JR all get on. It looks like Sue is not coming today. Have you been counting? Good, now tell me this: what is the color of the bus driver's eyes.?

Is there a 4th of July in England?

You walk into a room. You only have one match, and you have a candle, a bit of kindling in the fireplace, and an oil lamp to light. What do you light fist?

Are you good at math? Answer me this. A farmer has 15 sheep and all but 8 die. How many are left?

Are you good at English? Can you tell me which is correct? The eggs yolks is white or the egg yolks are white?

How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?

Now for a bit of geometry. How much dirt is in a hole 3 ft deep, 6 ft wise, and 4 ft long?

If a plane crashes on the border between Oregon and Washington, where do you bury the survivors?

Now for the answers:
Silence breaks every time you say its name.
As all four walls faced south, it was at the North pole, so the bear had to have white fur.
You are driving the bus, so what color are your eyes?
Of course there is a 4th of July there, they have calendars too.
You have to light the match first before you can light anything else.
Eggs Yolks aren't white, they are yellow.
Easily. I have never seen a raw egg that can crack a cement floor.
None, it is  hole, all the dirt was dug out of it.
I don't know about you, but burying survivors seems a little morbid and twisted to me. Hopefully you aren't burying them anywhere.
8 are alive because it said all but 8 die.

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6th Annual Coloring Contest! Beauty and the Beast:

UPDATES

For all rules, please check the rules and examples link at the top and bottom of the page.

To enter, just send me a note with a link or thumb of your entry.

Intro
Yay, time for the 6th annual coloring contest. I am amazed that I have been doing this for so long now.  I love the turn out I get every year, and I hope that this will also be a great year. As is traditional for me, I am switching things up again. This time, the coloring contest will feature one of my lines, and one set of lines from a guest... or more accurately, from the winner of the line art contest!
You are welcome to color both sets of lines, which means that each person is allowed up to two entries. Winners will be determined by use of a scoring system, and I will make your scores available at the end of the contest as I do every year.

Grand Prize Winner of the coloring contest will receive:
*your choice of a three month subscription or 636 points
*line art commission by manic-goose
*Prismacolor NUPASTEL set and prismacolor set of 24 colored pencils
*and much more

to see all prizes for all winners, check the prizes link at the top of the page.

I am still looking for prize donations. If you would like to donate a prize, please go to the DONATION CENTER . Remember, the more prizes I get, the bigger the contest is.


It doesn't matter where you live, you can still enter and win. Your location will play no part whatsoever in my choice.

The pictures:

Line Art # 1:
Dragonfly Butterfly (a miniature dragon and a fairy)
Butterfly Dragonfly by manic-goose
you can find flats which you may use to color this here: sdl.deviantart.com/art/Butterf… just remember that if you use them, you must give credit.

Line Art #2:
Beauty and the Beast (using original characters)
:thumb261883333:
If you are willing to donate flats for this image, that would be terrific!


Coloring information:
the first set of lines is open for interpretation in what colors you use, the second set can also be interpreted how you like, but as they are based on original characters, you have the option to color them according to the design of the characters. The details of which can be found by reading the artist comments here: wingedgenesis5.deviantart.com/… which is also the more simplified version of the lines.  Both variations are acceptable for the contest, and you are also welcome to edit out the details in the dress and draw in your own if you wish.

Time line:
October 22: Official start of Coloring Contest
January 7: Last day to submit to Coloring Contest

January 8: Coloring Contest popular vote starts
January 15: Last day to Vote on Coloring Contest
January 22: Coloring Contest Results Posted
January 29: Most if not all prizes distributed by this time


Questions:
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to let me know and I will take it into consideration. Hope you all have fun with the contest, and thank you for joining in on the fun.

You can see the results of the line art contest here, and the coloring contest results will follow:
RESULTS
This will be updated with this year's contest when the results are posted.


Important Links:
CONTEST HOME
RULES AND EXAMPLES
PRIZES
DONATION CENTER
SCORING SYSTEM FOR COLORING CONTEST
SCORING GUIDE FOR LINE ART CONTEST
MY COMPOSITION GUIDE
HELP WITH IDEAS
ENTRIES
RESULTS
UPDATES


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Honorable Mentions

Solo, by naseefgafoor is an evocative picture, set well in dark blue tones. The stoop of the old woman's back gives the impression of a very long hard life, and the falling light makes it feel like this is the end of a very long journey/day.  
:thumb170356359:

Attempt 7: Light Green by saricia is a great study of lights liquid and light play that is just delightful to look at and very unique among the entries.
:thumb207544436:

Roue de secours by pipolaki123 is a charming image with a nice contrast between the yellow and blues, with a nice play on the round shaped of the wheel and the parasol.  It has a charm to it that is all its own.
Roue de secours by pipolaki123


Third Place

Umbrella III by Eltasia is an inspiring charming image, with its simplicity and the feelings connected to it. The image feels like it is telling a story, but it gives very little away. Great lighting and tones, great focus, great shot.
:thumb214443294:


Second Place

Umbrella bw by athrawn is delightful. Great model, great mood and expression, great focus and lighting, everything about the image is technically well done, from the capture of the hair blowing up to the contrast.  All in all, it is a feel good image that everyone can appreciate.
:thumb211719688:

First place!!!

This part was easy to choose,a s the picture just spoke to the judges for its bold technique: the darkness and the rain really create a powerful atmosphere, while the scene feels like it is telling a story. It is easy to look at it and wonder what brought the man to the store at this hour, and in this weather, a really good day... or a really bad day. It is up to you to decide, and so the first place prize goes to Andolu Pastanesi by pigarot
Anadolu Pastanesi by pigarot

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Featured

Contest Feature by Paranoid-Duckkie, journal

Query Part II by Paranoid-Duckkie, journal

Query: by Paranoid-Duckkie, journal

COLORING CONTEST! Beauty and the Beast by Paranoid-Duckkie, journal

Umbrella Contest Winners! by Paranoid-Duckkie, journal